TOUCH | F. Hargreeves

11

Beau would say he wasn't the judgemental type, always one to see people's side of things and able to keep an open mind most of the time so when Five began treating a mannequin like a real person in front of him Beau simply looked the other way. It may be weird to other people but this was a lonely boy that had spent most of his life living completely alone, resorting to carrying a mannequin around to keep him company and talking to it to relieve his slipping sanity. Beau understood all of it and even if he and Five weren't on good terms, he wasn't going to insult his choice of partner.

Rosie would definitely slap him if he ever did, however, so there was also that possibility for his judgement.

Beau didn't exactly want to stay but he knew it was good for Five to have some living company instead of himself projected onto an inanimate object. So, he sat against the headboard of Five's bed, eyes focused on a random game on his phone he had been playing for the past few hours while Five sat at the end of the bed and uttered things, spoke to Dolores or read through Vanya's book that had writing and scribbles through it. Neither of them minded much, too wrapped up in their own worlds to care and it seemed they both needed the company anyway.

"The sun's rising." Five spoke suddenly, staring out the window to the glowing yellows and oranges splattered across the sky. The horizon was nothing more than a vast land of buildings and trees that cast shadows over the landscape, painted in bright warm colours that seeped through the cold blues of the fleeting night sky above.

Beau's eyes flickered to the window and the world beyond, his finger moving from his lips - having been mindlessly chewing on his fingernail - and hummed thoughtfully, "So it is." He said before turning back to the bright and more varying colours of his phone.

"I have something to do today." Five muttered, closing the old book in his hands gently, "Will you join me?"

Beau sighed as he pressed a button on his phone causing it to go blank, "Do I have a choice?" He rhetorically questioned, already stuffing the technology into his coat pocket.

Five shrugged "Well, it's not like you have anything better to do."

Beau scoffed, "I thought you had stopped being so cruel to me, Five." And although he knew Five hated when he spoke like that he still did it because it was true, even with the joking nature shown, it had been his life throughout the years of his childhood so why suppress that?

"That's not fair." Five glared.

"Nothing is, my dear."

Five was soon packing things into a duffle bag including his mannequin and a bottle of vodka which had Beau chuckling at the sight. Apparently, he wanted to go find that same man again, the one from the factory, and threaten him. Beau had no idea why and he didn't really care because this was his specialty, making people uncomfortable and nervous with intimidation skills. Five told him he would help, back him up, but that was about it.

Climbing through the window and down the side of the building, the pair witnessed a frantic Klaus rummaging around in the dumpster nearby. Beau raised an eyebrow, being the first to place his feet on the ground, and knew as the man spoke to himself he was talking to Ben Hargreeves. It could've made his eyes water if Beau wasn't so good at hiding his feelings.

"I'm trying to find whatever... priceless crap was in that priceless box so that Pogo will get off my ass!" Klaus exclaimed at seemingly nothing but the Hargreeves knew better. And although none of the siblings tried to converse with their deceased sibling through Klaus - mostly because of his drug use and alcoholism - they still understood he was there with them.

Five huffed at the sound of his brother's voice spouting nonsense, "I'd ask what you're up to, Klaus, but then it occurred to me... I don't care."

"Hey!" Klaus greeted, doing his best to act casual, "You know there are easier ways out of the house, buddy?" His eyes flickered to a frowning Beau, "And Beau! My love! What are you two up to?"